Categories

What the UK public sector buys

32 categories of public spending, each showing who buys, who currently holds the work, what a typical contract is worth, and which contracts are approaching their end date.

Categories come from the CPV codes buyers publish on each award notice. Figures cover January 2021 onward and are comprehensive from 2023. Across these categories, 30,428 contracts have an end date inside the next eighteen months.

All categories

Every category of public sector spending

CategoryContractsBuyersExpiring 18m
Business and professional services22,2691,8024,088
Construction works19,4031,6252,313
Software and information systems13,9501,3933,741
IT services13,6831,3963,176
Transport services13,2093391,533
Architecture and engineering11,5371,3432,232
Education and training9,0687871,873
Health and social care8,5768651,714
Vehicles and transport equipment6,2578721,154
Research and development5,502603687
Repair and maintenance5,0309691,019
Construction materials and structures3,345826431
Medical equipment and pharmaceuticals3,150537693
Environmental and waste services3,1211,218661
Office and computing equipment3,072800585
Financial and insurance services2,765769643
Communications and broadcast equipment2,310741537
Laboratory and precision equipment2,175369240
Furniture and furnishings1,772645339
Community and personal services1,580510323
Electrical equipment and lighting1,551613231
Energy and fuel1,466493247
Industrial machinery1,432523174
Public administration services1,230412257
Property and estates1,118362223
Security and defence1,117419249
Catering and accommodation907621159
Grounds and horticultural services851393183
Postal and telecoms services753381227
Leisure, culture and sport751319159
Print and publishing713330175
Food and catering supplies626266162